Method and apparatus for making display signs, lamp shades, and other like articles



Dec. 4, 1928.

W. E. PRICE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING DISPLAY SIGNS LAMP SHADES,AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES Filed April 50, 1926 INVENTOR MY/fam E PrycePatented Dec. 4, 1928.

" UNITED STATES.

1,693,817 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. PRICE, WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING DISPLAY SIGNS, LAMP SHADES, AND OTHERLIKE ARTICLES.

Application filed April 30, 1926. Serial No. 105,664.

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for making displaysigns, lamp shades, and other like articles.

In my co-pending applications Serial No. 60,159, filed October 3, 1925,I'have shown and described a sign or like ornament in which a fabric isdrawn through a perforated sheet to provide the legend or ornamentation.The object of this invention is to provide a simple and highly efficientmethod and apparatus for applying the fabric to and drawing it throughthe perforated sheet, and assembling the various elements to form thecomplete sign. I

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out. 1

Certain features herein shown and described are shown, described andClaimed in my aforementioned co pen-ding application, the presentapplication being a continuation of said application.

lVith the above exception, the invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of construc tion, combinations of elements and arrangement ofparts which will be. exemplified in the construction hereinafterdescribed, and of which the scope of application will be indicated inthe following claims. I

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown. one of the variouspossible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of an apparatusfor carrying out the improved method embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, and

Fig. 3 ,is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View taken on lines33 in Fig. 2.

Referring in detail to the drawing, denotes an apparatus for carryingout the improved method embodying the invent-ion, said method being heredescribed as applied to assembling electrically illuminated sign 30 suchas described in detail in my aforementioned co-pending application.

.The apparatus 10 is seen to comprisca suction box 11 supported at asuitable height/on legs 12. The bottom 11 of the box communicatesthrough a pipe 12 with the intake 13 of a blower 13, said blowerbeingdriven in any suitable manneras by being directly connected to anelectric motor 14. Said blower and motor are preferably mounted on aplatform 15 as shown in Fig. 1.

Suitably supported from side 11 of the box 11, below the top thereof, ismounted a lamp 1 socket 16 having the bulb 17, said socket 16 and motor14 being connected through wires 18 to a suitable electric supply source(not 7 shown).

The box 11 may be formed of wood, sheet metal or other suitable materialand may have the top side provided with a mounting means, such as a.frame 19 having a central opening 19?, said frame being adapted tosupport the legend plate 20 of'the sign to r be assembled. Said legendplate may be formed of a relatively stiff backing material such assheetmetal, fibre, composition or other similar material, and has a desiredlegend 20 of plain or intricate configuration in the shown in Figs. 1and 3, then a strip of flexible fabric preferably a textilefabric 22,'suchas China silk, is'superimposed on the backside of said plate. (SeeFig. 1.) Power is now applied to operate the motor Hand blower 13, andto lightthe bulb 17. j The operation of the blower exhausts the air fromthe casing 11, creating a suction whichdraws the por tions of the fabric22 through the perforated leger'1d20 for quickly and evenly projectingportions of the strip through said plate, thus forming raised orembossed protube'rancesv 22 the intaglio surfaces of which extend outfrom the front side of said plate as shown in Fig. 3. hilethe suctionapplied to the front side of the plate 20 retains the strip 22 and theprotuberances 22 in a proper assembled position, a suitable adhesivecoating such as sodium silicate, shellac, varnish, lacquer or other likesubstance is applied for fixedly securing thestrip 22 to said plate 20.When the material used for'the strip 22 is porous, as, for example,China silk, the air 'sucked'through the strip will aid in distributingand drying the adhesive coating applied thereto. Thus the strip 22 isnot only cemented to the plate by the'adhesive coating butthis coatingis also effective to stiffen the protnberances 22 for re tainin them inproper shape, said protuberances t ion forming what iscommonly termed anunbreakable structure Which ishighly eflicient as a light diffusingmedium because a iinishin and protecting means I It will hu's beseenthatthere. a device in which the several objects of this of itstexture. If desirethone or more additional transparent coatings may beapplied to the assembled sign as by spraying, to serve as The bu b 17serves not only to illuminate the interior of thecasing to facilitatethe inspection of the assembling operation but also [may serve tosupplyheat by convection and fa iation for quickening the drying and settingaction of the adhesive used.

is provided invention re achieved and which is vvell adaptedto meet theconditions ofpractical use. a ,t a a As Various ossible embodimentsmight be made ofthe a ove invention, and as various changes might bemade in the embodiment above set forth,it is to be understood'that all'inatterhereinfset forth or shown in the accompanying' drawing is tobeinterpreted as claim-as neiv and desire illustrative and not in alimit-ingsense.

Having thus described my invention, to secure by Letters Pate/liter a I,

"1. Thearthof making asign or like article consistinglin superimposing aflexible sheet of material on oneside of a perforated plate, and

' applying sufficient suction to the oter side 0 plyi sufiicientsuctionto the other side of said p ate to cause portions of saidmaterial adiacentthe cut portions of the plate to be drawn,theretlirongh whereby raised" protu berances are formed, and thenfixing therela: tion of the materialand the protnberances "withrespecttotheplate While the suction is 3.= The art of making a sign or likearticle consisting in overlaying one side of a'pla te havingperforationstherein with a strip of flexible material, and varying therelative pressnresfon the opposite sides of said plate to causeprojection Qt -portions of said strip through t-he perforations'vvhereby intaglio surfaces are formed,

4.;The art of making a sign or like article consisting in overlaying.one side of a plate having perforations therein with a stripof flexiblematerial, varying the relative pressures on t e 'oppositesides of saidplate to material to the plate, and stiffening the matecause projectionof portionsof said strip through the perforations whereby intagliosurfaces are for1ned,-and then applying an adhesive for securing saidint-aglio surfaces in a set position.

5. The art of making a sign or like ertieie consisting in superimposinga flexible porous sheet of material on one side of a perforated la madrawingair through the portion of the niatei'ial 'over the plateperforations for causing said portions to be projected through saidperforations L s s 6. The art of making. a signer like articleconsisting in superimposin aj flexible porous sheet of material on onesi e of a perforated plate, drawing air through the portion of thematerial over the" plate perforations for cans ing "said portions to beprojected through V a said erfor'ations, adhesivelv securingrialportions in its projectedshape for retai'ning same in sha e.

7. The at of making a Sign or like article consisting in placing aflexible mama;

against one side of a perforated plate and increasing the pressure onthe expos'ed'sideof the material relative to that on the opposite a sideof the plate for rejecting portions of the material through t eperforations to explateto form a raised structure.

tendbeyond thesaid opposite side of the 8; The art of making a "si 'norlike article consisting in placing a flexible material against one sideof a perforated plate, in

creasing the pressure on the exposedside of the material for projectingportions of the material through the perrorationsto extend beyond thesaid opposite side'of the plate to form a raised structure, cementingsaid straeture is the plate, ahdsimultaneously stiifening saidstructuretoretain same in shape.

9, The art of making asign or like article consisting. in placing aflexible porous sheet against one side of La perforated'plate, increasing the "rel tive aia essure on the em posed side of the sheetsufliciently to draw air through the portions of the sheet over theplate perforations for projecting said por tions through theperforationsto form a structure on'said opposite side of plate, and

securingsaid sheet and raised structure to the plate ivhilesaid increaseof pressure is ef V fected.

10. The art of making a sign or like article consisting in superimposinga flexible porous sheeton one side of a perforated plate, drawmgairunder sufficient ressure through the portionsofthe sheet over theplate perfora- 'tions for causing said portions to be projected throughsaid, perforations to form a raised Struct r on the other side of saidplate, and distributing an adhesive stiffening coating over said sheetand raised portions.

11 The art of ina king' a sigh oriik article consisting in superimposinga flexible porous lac fies

sheet on one side of a perforated plate, drawing air under sufiicientpressure through the portions of the sheet over the plate perforationsfor causing said portions to be projected through said perforations toform a raised structure on the other side of said plate, distributing anadhesive stiffening coating over said sheet and raised portions, andsimultaneously heating the coated portions of the sheet.

12. An apparatus of the character described comprising a box having anopening on which a'perforated plate and flexible strip to be assembledis adapted to be mounted, said plate and strip forming a closure forsaid opening, and suction means for reducing the air pressure insidesaid box, whereby portions of the strip are projected through saidperforated plate. v

13. An apparatus of the character described comprising a box havingan'opening on which a perforated plate and flexible strip to beassembled is adapted to be mounted, said plate and strip forming aclosure for said .0 enin suction means for reducin the air pressureinside said box, whereby portions of the strip are projected throughsaid perforated plate, and illuminating means positioned in the box.

14. An apparatus of the character described comprising a box having anopening opening.

scribed comprising a box, a frame having an opening'forming one side ofthe box adapted to support sign parts for assembling, said parts forminga'closure for said opening, and means communicating with the box otherthan, through said opening for unbalancing the air pressure exerted onopposite sides of said parts at said opening for bringing said signparts into proper assembly.

16. An apparatus of the character described comprising a box having anopening adapted to support sign parts for assembling,

said parts forming a closure for said opening,

means communicating with the box other than through said openingforunbalancing the air pressure exertedon opposite sides of said parts atsaid opening for bringing said sign parts into proper assembly,a'ndmeans mounted in said box for illuminating said 17. An apparatus ofthe character described comprisinga box having an opening adapted tosupport sign parts for assembling,- said parts forming a closure .forsaid opening, means communicating with the .box for unbalancing the airpressure exerted on opposite sides of said parts at said opening forbringing said sign parts into proper assembly, and heating means for"the assembling operation mounted inthe box, V

18. In an apparatusfor making signs or like articles ofthe characterdescribed, the combination of a perforated plate, a fabric overlyingsaid plate, and means for creating a difference of air pressure betweenthe two sides of said plate for drawing the fabric through saidperforations to form protuberances asand for the purpose described andspecified. r

In testimony whereof affix-my signature.

WILLIAM E. PRICE.

